Best Bets for Marketing Books

Writing a good book is not easy. The characters have to be interesting, better yet memorable, and the plot has to go somewhere. Somewhere can be as simple as an afternoon at the beach, but it can't be boring. I write cozy mysteries, which are less gory than detective novels or police procedurals. I think of them as murder without maggots, but that's not a good marketing slogan.

Getting a book out the door

I self-publish the Jolie Gentil cozy mystery series, and spent almost five years writing the first two books. Now that I'm semi-retired, I write two books every year. After all that hard work I have the audacity to want people to buy them, and not just for a sense of self-fulfillment. I want to make some real money.

Electronic book production altered the publishing industry as much as going from typesetting by hand to desktop publishing changed getting a book from author's draft to final copy.

Writers now have many of the capabilities of a New York publisher, and sometimes make more per book than a publisher would pay. It used to be that if you wanted to put out a book yourself you either paid thousands of dollars to what was termed a vanity publisher or you found a printer and had them turn over the fifty boxes of books to you. In either case, you did most of the marketing, which meant going from bookstore to bookstore, with a few stops at libraries. And there was no room for a car in your garage.

Monday, March 20, 2017

The next writers' group meeting is Tuesday, March 21, at theRochester Hills Barnes & Noble Bookstore at 7:30 p.m. Look for the table and chairs in the events area (however, we could be set up anywhere in the store). We meet the third Tuesday of the month to discuss the business of writing, we are not a critique group. It's free and open to new, working, and published writers. Come once, once in a while, or every time.

Have you registered for the Rochester Writers' Spring Conference?

Saturday | April 1, 2017 | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Once again the spring event will take place on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

Writing for Children and Young Adults is the focus this time. Writing Picture Books, Middle School Series, and Young Adult Novels will be covered with a variety of Speakers and Presentations. Registration includes all sessions, lunch, featured speakers, and all day refreshments. Deadline to Register for the Best Rate is March 24.

DETROIT, MI –– The award-winning Secret Society of Twisted StorytellersⓇ and Chalkbeat Detroit will bring stories from teachers, students and parents of Detroit Schools. The award-winning, monthly event has received positive reviews and has been recognized for its artistic contribution to Detroit,

“In a society that feeds on reality television, celebrities and social media, people are typically unaccustomed to this level of raw truth, these microscopic views into other people’s lives,’’ says Kimberly Hayes Taylor of TBDMag. “Even among other shows that feature storytellers, this is on another level.”

“I ain’t seen nothing like it,” says Dick Gregory. “Stay in touch with the storytellers. It can heal.”

The Society’s next event “School Days” will take place Friday, March 17th, 8PM at The Wright Museum. Asenath Andrews, Founding Principal Catherine Ferguson Academy, Journalist, Chastity Pratt Dawsey, Journalist, Bridge Magazine and three winners of Chalkbeat Detroit’s story submission contest will tell true, personal stories on the theme.

The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellershas a mission to connect humanity, heal and transform community by providing an uplifting, thought-provoking, soul-cleansing entertainment experience through the art and craft of storytelling.

Chalkbeat’s mission is to provide deep, unbiased, local coverage of education policy and practice to inform the decisions and actions that lead to better outcomes for children and families. Founded in 2013, Chalkbeat has bureaus in Detroit, New York, Colorado, Tennessee, and Indiana.

DETROIT, MI –– The award-winning Secret Society of Twisted StorytellersⓇ and Chalkbeat Detroit will bring stories from teachers, students and parents of Detroit Schools. The award-winning, monthly event has received positive reviews and has been recognized for its artistic contribution to Detroit,

“In a society that feeds on reality television, celebrities and social media, people are typically unaccustomed to this level of raw truth, these microscopic views into other people’s lives,’’ says Kimberly Hayes Taylor of TBDMag. “Even among other shows that feature storytellers, this is on another level.”

“I ain’t seen nothing like it,” says Dick Gregory. “Stay in touch with the storytellers. It can heal.”

The Society’s next event “School Days” will take place Friday, March 17th, 8PM at The Wright Museum. Asenath Andrews, Founding Principal Catherine Ferguson Academy, Journalist, Chastity Pratt Dawsey, Journalist, Bridge Magazine and three winners of Chalkbeat Detroit’s story submission contest will tell true, personal stories on the theme.

The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellershas a mission to connect humanity, heal and transform community by providing an uplifting, thought-provoking, soul-cleansing entertainment experience through the art and craft of storytelling.

Chalkbeat’s mission is to provide deep, unbiased, local coverage of education policy and practice to inform the decisions and actions that lead to better outcomes for children and families. Founded in 2013, Chalkbeat has bureaus in Detroit, New York, Colorado, Tennessee, and Indiana.

DETROIT, MI –– The award-winning Secret Society of Twisted StorytellersⓇ and Chalkbeat Detroit will bring stories from teachers, students and parents of Detroit Schools. The award-winning, monthly event has received positive reviews and has been recognized for its artistic contribution to Detroit,

“In a society that feeds on reality television, celebrities and social media, people are typically unaccustomed to this level of raw truth, these microscopic views into other people’s lives,’’ says Kimberly Hayes Taylor of TBDMag. “Even among other shows that feature storytellers, this is on another level.”

“I ain’t seen nothing like it,” says Dick Gregory. “Stay in touch with the storytellers. It can heal.”

The Society’s next event “School Days” will take place Friday, March 17th, 8PM at The Wright Museum. Asenath Andrews, Founding Principal Catherine Ferguson Academy, Journalist, Chastity Pratt Dawsey, Journalist, Bridge Magazine and three winners of Chalkbeat Detroit’s story submission contest will tell true, personal stories on the theme.

The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellershas a mission to connect humanity, heal and transform community by providing an uplifting, thought-provoking, soul-cleansing entertainment experience through the art and craft of storytelling.

Chalkbeat’s mission is to provide deep, unbiased, local coverage of education policy and practice to inform the decisions and actions that lead to better outcomes for children and families. Founded in 2013, Chalkbeat has bureaus in Detroit, New York, Colorado, Tennessee, and Indiana.